Young people are being encouraged to get out into the countryside and join up as volunteers in a royal hunting forest.

An award of £150,000 has been given to the Wychwood Project in west Oxfordshire to get 16- to 25-year-olds involved in conservation and learning about the natural environment.

The money has come from V, the youth volunteering charity set up by the Government to inspire a million young people to give their time, skills and energy.

The whole youth programme, called "vinvolved", has been given £75m funding nationwide, including private sector backing. The charity aims to change the image of volunteering and make it a must-have part of young people's lives.

In west Oxfordshire, the Wychwood Project already has some young volunteers - but it is hoping to take on up to 300 in a variety of schemes. They could include hedgelaying, dry-stone walling, tree planting and land management.

There are also chances to get involved in surveying and recording local wild- life.

Wychwood V project officer Jane Bowley said the young people would have a strong input into what they did.

She added: "At the moment we are buzzing with ideas. We are very excited at the prospect of hearing from young people about their suggestions and being able to put them into practice.

"We have many experts within the Project and the Friends of Wychwood, so as well as having a lot of fun there will be great potential to learn new skills and gain useful experiences for their future lives."

The Wychwood Project was set up in 1997 to raise awareness of the history of the Royal Forest of Wychwood, which after the Norman Conquest covered most of what is now west Oxfordshire. Over the centuries it has been depleted down to about 2,000 acres of actual woodland.

The project works with local communities in 41 parishes to restore the patchwork of landscapes and habitats in the area, and undertakes schemes like tree planting, monitoring of wildlife and repairing drystone walls.